Things I Make for Me

As a multimedia artist, my hands stay busy creating for others. I spend a large part of my time making things I  designed for other people to enjoy. But if you think none of the things I create for sale are inspired by things I made for me...

You would be wrong, lol. In the true nature of the sentiment "necessity is the mother of invention", I often make things as solutions for me personally, then when they work for me (or someone just asks for them), I go on to create a version of those things for other people to buy. 

Another scenario is when I do a custom project for a client, and I like their idea/outcome enough that I make something similar for myself.

Not everything I make is something I mean to sell. Some things I make out of sheer curiosity, joy, or need. And not all are in the realms of my offerings.  As in, I might sew or knit something, but I do so for myself or loved ones. Not to sell. 

Here's something I made just for me years ago, which I use almost daily. 

three books and two tiny cushions make up my footstool

It's a little library-themed (or dark academia, as the young'uns say) footstool created from stacked books and cushions. I thrifted old books, then sealed and stacked them. Then I hand-sewed the two tiny cushions (because my sewing machine was on the blink), stuffed them firmly, and added them to the stack, in which all are permanently connected. I also added a fake bookmark with a tassel sticking out.

To complete the stool, I painted and screwed four wooden balls to the bottom. The balls were perfect because I bought them unfinished from the wood crafts section of a local art supply store. They already had one flat side on each, so all I had to do was create four holes in the bottom-most book cover, drill screws through from the inside, then attach the wood balls to the screws poking through on the outside. Once all the balls were attached (making the perfect club feet), I glued that cover closed like the rest of the stack. I covered the whole thing (except the cushions, which remained soft) in a few coats of glue. 

It turned out just as I pictured it, and I use it often. Do you ever make things solely for your own (or your loved ones') use or enjoyment? I'd love to see them! Share over on the community page of my YouTube channel so we can all enjoy!